


we end where we began

by darksylvir



Series: second chance slice of life au [1]
Category: K (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Alternate Universe - Teachers, Dialogue Heavy, Gen, M/M, Mikorei Week 2015, Oops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-25
Updated: 2017-03-25
Packaged: 2018-10-10 17:10:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10442907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darksylvir/pseuds/darksylvir
Summary: A field trip to Ashinaka, and a lesson about the Era of Kings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Conceived and written for Mikorei Week 2016, Day 3 - Second Chance, before it kinda got away from me and became it's own little universe.
> 
> My only experience with Japan's educational system comes from anime/manga and a beautiful novel called _A Rabbit's Eyes_ by Kenjiro Haitani, so please forgive any liberties taken.
> 
> Enjoy!

The good part of the day’s patience was used up in wrangling the three classes of children into a single railcar. Now the new challenge was keeping them entertained during the not-so-long-but-still-too-long ride--but really, to _hell_ with that.

“Ne, Sensei, those two really ditched you, huh?”

“No fair! You’re our teacher! Awa-sensei and Shiro-sensei shoulda come take care of their own classes.”

“It’s all cuz Shiro-sensei got sick.”

“Yeah, Izzy-sensei wouldn’t have an excuse then.”

“Honestly, Sensei, you shouldn’t let your friends take advantage of you like that.”

“Yeah, you’re really a pushover--does that mean you’ll treat us more often?”

“I want a Super Lunch Special at the cafeteria!”

“Ice cream!”

“They’re not gonna have ice cream over there, you dope.”

“I’m not--!”

“Everyone, we all want Sensei to have an easy time, right? Then, as his class, we should at least set a good example.”

“…you really are the best class rep, Anna-chan.”

“Yeah, sorry, Sensei--we’ll behave.”

“And we’ll put the other classes in line if they don’t, too-- _hear that you--_ mmph!”

“That is the opposite of behaving, idiot.”

“Oi, put him down.”

Didn't even put much of a tone in it, but enough to get them settled. Relative quiet from that point on. The car swayed, mid-morning light leaping in through the windows from the water below. The kids kept up their gossip, but they never really did shut up.

“Those two could’ve totally fit in here. They’d just have to stand.”

“Awa-sensei was gonna, but then Izzy-sensei did _that_  thing.”

“Gross. I hope she decks him like she did at the last festival.”

“That was an accident, though.”

“Really?”

“Awa-sensei would’ve busted more than his nose if she was serious.”

“Scary. Do you think she could win against Sensei?”

“Nobody can beat Sensei. That’s a _fact_.”

“Shhh, he’s sleeping.”

Smiling would blow his cover. Anna took up her spot at his right, kept up the calm in that way of hers.

The car sped on.

* * *

Izumo’s face was completely intact upon their arrival to Ashinaka Island, much to the disappointment of half the class. The school doctor seemed altogether too smugly contented as he led off his designated group for the day. Awashima-sensei declined to comment--but theirs was not the commenting kind of relationship.

“Thank you for taking the train car duty,” she said instead, like he’d had a choice. “You have your itinerary?”

“Got it.”

One perfectly manicured eyebrow twitched very slightly.

He sighed. “Grounds tour, lunch, shrine.”

“I kept it simple. I’m glad it was effective.” She shouldered her bag. “Well, we’ll be heading for the Shrine then. Back here at five?”

“Yeah.”

The kids clambered around him in her wake.

“Hey Sensei, why don’t you and Awa-sensei--”

“Because Sensei has honor, duh.”

“Which is why he’d be a much better fit, don’t you think?”

“No, because _I’m_ gonna be Sensei’s bride, once I’m old enough.”

Well, there was one surefire way to get Anna to lock his hand into her surprisingly iron grip. He mentally wrote off any chance for full use of both appendages, and gently bludgeoned his wayward class on their way.

* * *

The campus tour was bland, halfway saved by their student guide’s frightening enthusiasm--good for her, because the kids were relentless with questions.

“How many students?”

“How many buildings?”

“Where’s the underground bunker?”

“My brother said you climb the clocktower for confessions--does everyone do that?”

“Has anyone fallen?”

“Did anyone die?”

“Well duh, that’s why we’re here, remember--”

Anna did detach herself, eventually, head off to quell the small rebellions. He hadn’t gone to Ashinaka--his parents had vaguely despaired--so there wasn’t any real reason why the rolling lawns and manicured flagstone paths should seem familiar. Chalk it up to the weeks looking over the brochures, then. Chalk it up to old history books, half-studied lessons. Chalk it up to Ashinaka High School being the paradigm for what a classy prep school should be, its steady presence creeping into the consciousness of every Shizume City resident.

Chalk it up to all that, and he still couldn’t shake the _deja vu._

But then it was lunchtime, and chaotic enough to make thinking a liability. The groups converged in a sectioned-off part of the school cafeteria, and still managed to wriggle off in all sorts of directions.

“Sensei, my sister’s over there--can I go say hi?”

“Let’s go crash my cousin Miki’s class--he said he didn’t study for the test today. He’ll owe me so much allowance.”

“Those girls keep looking over here, you think--”

“Not a chance, it’s because of Sensei.”

“Hey, Sensei, don’t get any ideas, ok?”

“I keep telling you, Sensei ain’t like that!”

In more ways than they’d ever know. He leaned back in his chair, took in the ceiling arches climbing higher than was probably necessary for a high school lunchroom. “Finish eating. We show up late to the Shrine and Awashima’ll tear me a new one.”

“A new what?”

“…just, eat your _bento_.”

Anna coughed a bubble into her strawberry milk, grinning behind her hand.

* * *

The Shrine was an annoying trek away from the main campus, but his class was full of ramblers anyways. Most of them scattered out ahead of him, small clusters darting along the path and a little ways into the trees. Only Anna stuck close, hands clasped in front of her to keep from reaching out.

“This is kinda neat, like going to school in a Miyazaki movie.”

“Bet they have great beetles here. Wish I’d brought my jar.”

_Last time, there was snow._ He shook his head. What last time? But then he could almost see it--the dark press of the trees, branches cut white with frost, like something out of a samurai flick. That _torii_ gate had been dripping ice--these fuck-ton of steps, powdery and shifting beneath his feet. Solid, now, patched with moss. Summer suited them, but the snow was still--

“Look, Sensei!”

Just a small misstep, that’s why he grabbed the railing. Nothing to do with the figure at the top of too-many stairs, and something shuddering through when he turns.

“Hi, are you the shrinekeeper?”

“Why are there so many steps?”

“Wow, you’re pretty!”

“You don’t call a guy ‘pretty’, Yo, geez.”

“Well it’s _true._ ”

The man’s vague smile turned to a laugh, and _fuck--_ his students were actually dead-on, for once. “Well, this is certainly shaping up to be one of the more entertaining groups. However--” His gaze swept over their ragtag assembly, before landing squarely on their leader. “Are we quite certain each of your students is accounted for? I’d rather not have to organize a search party.”

_This guy._ A familiar thought, trailed by an unfamiliar spark. But the kids had always been quick on the draw.

“Everyone’s here, Sensei don’t need to count us.”

“Yeah, we know how to stay close. We’re not babies.”

“Plus, we actually like him.”

“Yeah, Sensei’s the best. Wouldn’t get him in trouble by getting lost.”

Anna took his hand again. He let go of the railing, felt his chin lift in an angle that was new but--not. The man on the stairs looked down. _He always did._

“Then, let us begin.” He adjusted his glasses, somehow making the motion both elegant and vaguely irritating. “Welcome to the Shrine at Ashinaka High School. You may call me Rei-sensei.”

“Rei’s a kinda girly name--ow!”

“Shut _up_ for once.”

“I fear my full name is rather difficult to pronounce, so Awashima-kun suggested I adjust it to a simpler form.” Quiet breezed over; normally the class only did that for him. “Now, I presume that bright young minds such as yours are well aware of the significance of your visit to this particular landmark?”

It was Anna, finally, in her quiet voice. “Kings died here.”

Another beat of silence, and sure, maybe it was cliche--but they deserved it. Rei-sensei nodded then, flicked him a sideways glance; he realized he’d been staring. “Indeed, they did.” He gestured over his shoulder. “Come along--it is time we learn why.”

* * *

Usually the King Era was taught in high school, a fact the students harped on till it became obvious Rei-sensei was not the breakable kind. Bids for distraction got more varied, then.

“You called Awa-sensei ‘kun’, do you know her?”

“Are you dating her?”

“Way better than Izzy-sensei.”

“Do you work here?”

“Do you live here?”

He held up. Thrived, actually. The path of the Ashinaka Forest Clash was a long one, the key blast zones spaced in wide intervals. In those in-between times, they learned that Rei-sensei had never dated Awashima; they’d only gone to university together and remained good friends. She’d reached out to him to arrange this particular trip. He taught various higher-level History courses on the island--they were an exception, but “No less brilliant than my usual students, rest assured.”

They’d see through flattery--if nothing else, he knew his kids were sharp enough for that. But it seemed genuine, the way he said it, and the way they’d light up. They’d quiet down, when he needed them to, at each scar in the forest’s heart. No growth, even in the height of summer. Just blackened husks of trees, charred to permanent ash.

“Kings were something, huh?”

“Sensei, is it ok to touch it?”

“Feels weird here. Sad. Why were they fighting?”

The loop took them through the story--more of a drama than a history. Rei-sensei had obviously done it before, how he managed to tie it all together right when they reached the crater. He stumbled, again; Anna’s hand caught, tightened--but no one else saw.

“Whoa, that’s what happens when a King dies?”

“It is a variation, yes.” For a moment, Rei-sensei’s voice seemed to lose some of that academic crispness. “The Kagutsu Crater is the upper extreme of what was once called the Damocles Down. In the lower extreme, well, the death of the Red King Suoh Mikoto was rather more quiet than his life.”

Morbid. Maybe that’s why he felt so cold, even with the summer afternoon beating down around him. Something about this place.

“Kind of a lame way to go, just giving up.”

“Better than killing a whole bunch of people on the way out.”

“Still, I feel bad about the Blue King.”

“Why? He got to be the hero.”

“Doesn’t seem like he wanted to be.”

“I don’t know, ask Rei-sensei.”

Still had on that half-smile, but it’s the wrong kind of expression. Last time, last time it was-- _Don’t give me that garbage, with such a peaceful look on your face._ “I’m afraid history accounts are rather sparse on the personal feelings of their subjects, and Munakata Reisi remained a private figure despite his once-held title.”

“But what do you think, sensei?”

“Yeah, do you think he regretted it?”

Everything hinged on that answer, suddenly. Suddenly he wanted those eyes on him, not the broken ground, the distant sky. That last look, he wanted--

“I believe he would,” came the answer, sharp and soft. “For the rest of his days, he would.”

Ran him through, clean as a blade.

* * *

The sun had sunk low into the trees by the time they circled back to the shrine steps. The kids were itching to get home, leaping down the stairs and leaving the heavy lessons with their shadows. Even Anna walked on, letting him linger in disjointed thoughts.

“They are quite the inquisitive learners.” Rei-sensei, abruptly, an arm’s length away. “Though your model of classroom management is on the precipitous side of unorthodox, it seems suited to their particular sensibilities. I’m impressed.”

Something familiar in all those unnecessary words, in standing here to listen--he had a sudden urge for a cigarette, badly, among other things. “You were pretty good with them.”

“ _Oya,_ so you do speak.” A tease he’d heard well before, just not from such an inviting mouth. “I was under the impression that staring was your preferred means of communication.”

“Only when there’s something worth looking at.”

Wildly inappropriate, even for him--but he’d said it just the same. Rei-sensei’s eyes flicked over. “You’d best attend to your class, Sensei.”

He turned away. Last time he’d been the one to reach out, to ground him in a moment. This time--

“Hey.” The wrist was warm in his grasp. “What do they call you, outside of class?”

The kids were watching, maybe. Watching him twist free, but not as hard as he could have. “It is discourteous to ask for something you haven’t readily volunteered, isn’t it?”

“Sato.” It felt odd, to say it. His own name. “Sato Mikoto.”

“ _Sensei!_ We’re gonna be late!”

Damn kids. Rei-sensei smiled past him. “A pleasure, Sato-sensei, though I’m afraid this conversation is meant for another time.”

Another time. There’d been a lifetime when that’d been everything between them. Not this one. Not again. “I’ll get it from Awashima, if I have to.”

“And I wish you all the luck with that endeavour, as I’m sure you will need it. Now I really must insist on your departure.”

He turned away. And that was that.

They were waiting at the bottom of the steps. Anna didn’t take his hand, but patted his arm comfortingly.

“Aw, Sensei got rejected.”

“Don’t give up though! That’s what my sister’s new glam magazine says.”

“Yeah, Rei-sensei looks like an idol. He probably gets asked out all the time.”

“I can still marry you if you have a boyfriend, right?”

“Sensei, _ganbatte!_ ”

A second chance, maybe. Wasn’t going to be easy, but sometimes it’s enough.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [darksylvir](http://darksylvir.tumblr.com)
> 
> Feel free to follow :)


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